Chapter 77: Irisviel and Illya
[Main Quest "Win the Holy Grail War" completed. Obtained one Dimensional Roulette chance!]
[You may choose to open the next world, or continue to stay in this world for any amount of time.]
The system's voice echoed in his mind, bringing Shirou a sense of clarity. Sometimes, an ending is simply a beginning.
Shirou understood the truth of those words deeply. Looking at the forest under the moonlight, which had returned to silence, he let out a long breath.
"For the sake of that promise, I suppose it's time to embark on a new journey."
Of course, before that, he had to set the stage for the Fifth Holy Grail War ten years from now. Shirou left Mount Enzou and first paid a visit to the Einzbern Castle.
This castle, once sealed by ice and snow, was liberated from the blizzard on this day. Bright sunlight spilled across the land, and green grass grew several centimeters high, forming a lush lawn. The rows of trees shed their winter coats, and the forest, now covered in green, became thick with foliage.
Under the warm, gentle sunlight, a small figure darted through the woods.
"Onii-chan, Onii-chan! Come and play, hurry~!"
Calling out like this, Illya trotted excitedly through what remained of the snow, her small boots crunching rhythmically as she let out cheerful cries. Shirou stood at the castle entrance watching this scene, waving back at her with a smile.
Beside him, Irisviel watched Illya with an equally tender gaze. With skin as white as snow and a face as exquisite as a doll's, the silver-haired woman radiated a constant, motherly glow. Then, Irisviel turned to Shirou with eyes full of gratitude.
"It's all thanks to your help that I can be reunited with Illya, Shirou."
Irisviel wanted to say more, but Shirou, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the praise, shook his head slightly.
"...There's no need for more thanks. It just so happens I have something I need your help with."
Irisviel asked immediately, "What is it?"
Shirou looked at Illya in the distance, who was curiously examining everything as if the world were brand new, and spoke with a touch of sentiment in his voice.
"For certain reasons, I need to leave this place for a while. I hope you can help me look after my sister for the time being."
"Is that so? And what is her name?"
To Irisviel's follow-up, Shirou remained silent for a few seconds before speaking a name.
"Sakura... Orihara Sakura."
Suggestion magecraft would eventually fail one day, so Shirou intended to find a proper guardian for Sakura.
"I see, I understand." Irisviel nodded and then, as if thinking of something, smiled warmly. "That way, Illya will have a playmate."
"They should get along very well."
Saying this, Shirou walked toward the little elf playing in the snow.
"Onii-chan, show me your 'Projection' again!" Illya lifted her doll-like, adorable face, her sparkling eyes looking up at him with pure anticipation.
"Mmh, of course." Shirou nodded with a smile, and the magical light in his hand began to twinkle like stars. Like a child himself, he raised the golden sword he had constructed, its surface reflecting the brilliant sunlight.
"Look! This is the legendary Caliburn that King Arthur pulled from the stone! I have over a thousand more swords just like it!"
"Waaah~!" Illya's mouth hung open in surprise as she looked at the sword, curiously reaching out to touch it. "So cool! Do you have others?"
"Hmph, if you want, I can show you every sword in history today."
Watching the two "children" playing in the snow, Irisviel rested her cheek on her hand, observing them with a gentle gaze.
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After agreeing to Shirou's proposal, Irisviel decided to move with Illya to the Einzbern estate in Fuyuki City. She said this was not only so Sakura could live more comfortably but also to wait for Saber there.
Once Irisviel, Illya, and a group of maids had moved into the Fuyuki estate, Shirou prepared to bring Sakura over. However, when he went home, an unexpected person acted as his driver.
Inside a polished black Cadillac, Hisau Maiya, sitting in the driver's seat, locked eyes with Shirou in the passenger seat.
"..."
Maiya had recently lost Emiya Kiritsugu, who was both family and lover to her. Shirou was the culprit behind that loss. Now, they were sitting quietly in the same car. It was incredibly awkward.
"Fasten your seatbelt," Maiya's cold voice reached Shirou's ears.
"Ah... right." Shirou followed her instructions.
In truth, no matter how fast she drove, it wouldn't affect him now. No matter how hard she stepped on the gas, she couldn't reach Saber's speeds.
The scenery blurred outside the window. The woman at the wheel had a freezing aura, her gaze icy. With Kiritsugu dead and Irisviel "gone," the meaning of her existence had vanished.
She had only one path left: to live like a cold machine and seek her enemy. If she knew that enemy was sitting less than ten centimeters away from her, she would have kicked him out without hesitation.
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"Shi-chan! You're finally back!"
When he returned home, Sakura flew into his arms like a little bird. Shirou smiled and patted her head.
"Sakura, I need to leave for a while. Before that, I want you to go stay with this big sister for a bit, okay?"
"Eh? Where are you going?" Sakura's expression turned to confusion, and then, as if realizing something, her eyes suddenly reddened.
"Are you... are you abandoning me?"
The girl gripped his clothes tightly, sobbing, refusing to let go. "Don't leave me behind! I'll be good, I'll listen to everything you say...!"
Maiya, standing behind them, frowned. She began to wonder exactly what kind of relationship these "siblings" had. If a normal person saw this, they probably would have called the police.
Shirou felt helpless.
He realized just how dependent Sakura had become on him. Sorting through his thoughts, he took out a book containing basic magecraft. These spells didn't require high-tier Origins or Attributes; things like Projection or Reinforcement only required open Magic Circuits and an understanding of the mana source.
"Sakura, listen to me. When you have learned every spell in this book, I will be back, okay?"
"...Promise?"
Shirou nodded firmly. "Of course!"
Seeing that he wasn't lying, Sakura looked up again. "Liar swallows a thousand needles!"
"...How could I lie to you!"
Shirou said, puffing out his chest with righteous confidence.
Finally having persuaded Sakura, Maiya drove her away. With Sakura's situation settled and no more worries in his heart, Shirou felt he could finally leave in peace.
"Hmm... thinking that sounds a bit like a jinx..."
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